ASUU reports death of 84 lecturers in three months over unpaid salaries

By Sodiq Adelakun

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reported the tragic loss of 84 lecturers between May and August 2024, attributing these deaths to economic hardships exacerbated by the government’s continued withholding of salaries.

ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this alarming statistic during an appearance on Channels Television’s “Inside Sources.”

He emphasised the dire circumstances faced by university staff, highlighting that ongoing financial struggles, including rising fuel and electricity prices, have significantly impacted their lives.

“In the past three months, Nigerian universities lost 84 academics to death because of what our people are going through,” Osodeke stated.

He criticised the Federal Government’s “no-work, no-pay” policy, which has resulted in withheld salaries for those on strike.

“Despite this crisis, you are holding somebody’s three-and-a-half or more salaries. People are trying to survive, and everything is gone now,” he lamented.

Osodeke also called for increased funding for higher education, underscoring the need for adequate compensation to retain talent in the sector.

He revealed that after 15 years as a professor, he earns only N420,000 per month, pointing out that Nigerian lecturers cannot compete globally under current financial conditions.

On September 25, ASUU issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding urgent action on several unresolved issues, including the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and the release of withheld salaries stemming from the 2022 industrial action.